Dave Grohl: ‘If It Weren’t for the Beatles, I Would Not Be a Musician’

A new Beatles compilation ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ was released today (July 24) exclusively on iTunes, and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl has written a letter in the digital liner notes of ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ describing the impact the group’s music had on him.

The 14 song collection includes what is described as the band’s ‘most powerful rock songs’ such as ‘Revolution,’ ‘Paperback Writer,’ ‘Helter Skelter’ and ‘Back In the USSR.’ A promo film for the song ‘Hey Bulldog,’ from the band’s 1969 ‘Yellow Submarine’ album, is also available.

In his letter, Grohl talks about the impact the Beatles have had on him, as well as his daughter Violet. Here’s the letter Grohl penned for the digital liner notes of the ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’ release:

If it weren’t for The Beatles, I would not be a musician. It’s as simple as that. From a very young age I became fascinated with their songs, and over the years have drowned myself in the depth of their catalogue. Their groove and their swagger. Their grace and their beauty. Their dark and their light. The Beatles seemed to be capable of anything. They knew no boundaries, and in that freedom they seemed to define what we now know today as ‘Rock and Roll.’”

Recently I showed my 6-year-old daughter, Violet, the brilliant Yellow Submarine movie. It was her introduction to The Beatles, and she instantly shared the same fascination I felt when I was her age discovering The Beatles for the first time. She wanted to know their names, which instruments they played, who sang what song, etc etc etc….it made me so incredibly happy (and proud!). Within days she knew the verses and choruses to every song on the album. But, there was one song that stood out for her….

‘Hey Bulldog’ is not one of The Beatles’ greatest hits. It’s what most people would consider a ‘deep cut.’ But it is a quintessential Beatles rocker. The rolling bass line, the trademark Ringo drum fills, the gritty distorted guitar, and that sound that only the back of Lennon’s throat could produce. It stomps. It grooves. It makes your head bob. It makes your hips shake. When Lennon sings, ‘If you’re lonely you can talk to me!’ it soothes your heart, like you’ve finally found something to believe in. It’s so raw and real. It is 100% timeless Rock and Roll…

From one generation to the next, The Beatles will remain the most important rock band of all time.

Welcome back to Classic Rock 96.1

It appears that you already have an account created within our VIP network of sites on . To keep your points and personal information safe, we need to verify that it's really you. To activate your account, please confirm your password. When you have confirmed your password, you will be able to log in through Facebook on both sites.

*Please note that your points, prizes and activities will not be shared between programs within our VIP network.

Welcome back to Classic Rock 96.1

It appears that you already have an account on this site associated with . To connect your existing account just click on the account activation button below. You will maintain your existing VIP profile. After you do this, you will be able to always log in to http://classicrock961.com using your original account information.